Method and apparatus for producing knitted fabrics



June 16,- 1942. P. L. THURSTON} A 2,286,771

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING KNITTED FABRICS Filed July 20, 1940 15 Sheets-Sheet l June 16, 1942.

P. L. THURSTON METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING KNITTED FABRICS Filed July 20, 1940 l5 Sheets-Sheet 2 LLU IN ENTO R BY W W ATTORNEY June 16, 1942. THURSTON 2,286,771

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING KNITTED FABRICS Filed July 20, 1940 15 Sheets-Sheet 3 June 16, 1942. 1 TIHURSTON 2,286,771 I METHOD, AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING KNITTED FABRICS Filed July 20, 1940 15 Sheets-Sheet 4 ATTORNEY June 16, 1942. THURS-[0N 2,286,771

- METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING KNITTED FABRICS Filed July 20, 1940 15 Sheets-Sheet mv NT ATTORNEY Jufie 16, 1942. p THURSTON I 2,286,771

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING KNITTED FABRICS Filed July 20, 1940 l5 Sheets-Sheet 6 @MKW &9QA;W A @151 ATTORNEY June 16,1942. 0N v 2,286,771

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING KNITTED FABRICS Filed July 20, 1940 15 Sheets-Sheet 7 ATTORNEY June 16, 1942. THURSTQN 2,286,771

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING KNITTED FABRICS Filed July 20, 1940 15 Sheets-Sheet 8 ATTORNEY June 16, 1942. 2,286,771

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING KNITTED FABRICS P. L. THURSTON' Filed July 20, 1940 15 Sheets-Sheet 9 HHHHH ATTORNEY June 16, 1942. P. 1.. THURSTON METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING KNITTED FABRICS Filed July 20, 1940 15 Sheets-Sheet 10 TTORNEY June 1942- P. L. THURSTON 2,2

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING KNITTED FABRICS Filed July 20, 1940 l5 Sheets-Sheet 11 TTORNEY June 16, 1942. P. 1.. THURSTON METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING KNITTED FABRICS Filed July 20, 1940 15 Sheets-Sheet 12 June 16, 1942. P H T N 2,286,771

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING KNITTED FABRICS Filed July '20, 19 10 15 Sheets-Sheet 1s K v fmv-kcfirf- June 16, 1942. p, THURS-[0N 2,285,771

METHODIAND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING KNITTED FABRICS Filed July 20, 1940 15 Sheets-Sheet 14 M WW ATTORNEY June 16, 1942. P. 1.. THURSTON METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING KNITTED FABRICS Filed July 20, 1940 l5 Sheets-Sheet l5 ATTORNEY Patented June 16, 1942 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING KNITTED FABRICS Paul L. Thurston, Martinsburg, W. Va., assignor to Interwoven Stocking Company, New Brunswick, N. J a corporation of New. Jersey Application July 20, 1940, Serial No. 346,468

- 24 Claims.

My invention consists in the novel features hereinafter described, reference being had to the accompanying drawings which illustrate an embodiment of the same, selected by me for purposes of illustration, and the said invention is fully disclosed in the following description and claims.

My invention relates to incorporating elastic thread in the top portion of a circular knit article of hosiery to render the article form-fitting and self-supporting. The self-supporting top portion of the article is preferably formed of plain knit fabric composed of fabric thread and elastic thread with the elastic thread introduced in certain courses, preferably spaced by an intervening course or courses not containing the elastic thread, the elastic thread being united to the fabric at spaced points in each of the courses at which it occurs. In producing the article on a circular knitting machine, the elastic is introduced in the elastic containing courses by efiecting a needle separation by means of a selecting cam acting on selecting butts associated with certain spaced needles. In order to produce intervening courses not containing elastic thread, it has been the practice to move the selecting cam to inoperative position so that none of the needles are positioned to receive the elastic thread during the knitting of the intervening courses, said courses being of the fabric or body thread alone. The selecting cam would then be moved back into operative position for the formation of the next elastic containing course, thus necessitating periodic movement of the cam into and out of operative position during the knitting I of the top. It has been found that to avoid breakage of the needle butts caused by moving the selecting cam into operative position, it is necessary to leave a gap in the circular series of needle selecting butts, the movement of the cam being so timed that the cam moves into operative position when the gap is opposite the cam. For practical purposes it has been necessary to have this gap at least eight needles wide if breakage of the needle operating butts is to be satisfactorily avoided. This means that there will be a space of at least eight wales between the last point at which the elastic is caught into the fabric in one elastic containing course, and

the first point at which it is caught in the suc- F ceeding elastic course. The result is a vertical fiat strip in the fabric having a differentappearance from the remainder of'the fabric. Although this fiat section is usually positioned at the back of the article, it is objectionable, particularly in the finer grades of hosiery. An object of the invention is to eliminate this undesirable and unsightly fiat strip and to make the top portion of the sock of uniform structure and appearance throughout its circumferential extent.

It is preferable to provide the upper edge of the sock with an elastic selvage toprevent ravelling of the fabric. This canbe done by selecting alternate needles of the needle series and feeding elastic thread so as to be received in front of selected needles and behind intervening needles, the needles being thereupon manipulated so as to draw loops of body thread alternately in front of and behind the course wise extending elastic thread. However, in knitting subsequent courses of the top, it is desirable to. have a wider needle selection to incorporate the elastic thread in the fabric at more widely spaced wales and thereby provide longer floats which form substantially continuous horizontal body engaging beads on the inner face of the fabric. It is desirable for the wider needle selection to begin as soon as possible after formation of the selvage so that the top will be of uniform appearance throughout its length. In accordance with the present invention, it is possible to produce one or more selvage courses with 1 x 1 needle selection and produce an immediately successive course or courses with a wider needle selection, for example, with the elastic fed to every fourth needle. The same elastic thread extends continuously through the welt courses and the subsequent elastic containing courses of the top, thus avoiding loose ends of elastic thread and requiring a single elastic fed on the machine. 4

A further object of the invention is the regulation of the amount of elastic in each of the elastic containing courses, and particularly in the selvage course or courses. When the article is drawn over the heel of the wearer, the top portion and especially the selvage are greatly stretched and if the amount of elastic thread in the elastic containing courses is not sufiicient to permit this stretching, the elastic will be broken. Breakage of the elastic thread is particularly serious in the selvage, as it frees the stitches of the body yarn and permits the fabric to raveL. The amount of elastic thread fed can be controlled 'to some extent by the usual tension devices, but

owing to the ease with which light elastic thread is stretched, the control of tension alone has been found to be ineifective in controlling accurately the amount of elastic incorporated in the fabric. In accordance with the present invention the needles are manipulated by a measuring cam which is adjustable to control exactly the amount of elastic thread drawn by the needles.

While certain features of the invention are applicable to circular knitting machines in general, the invention will be described in conjunction with a circular knitting machin of the type in which two coaxial cylinders located one above the other are employed in connection with a circular series of needles, each having a hook and latch at each end, the needle grooves of the coaxial cylinders being in vertical alignment so that all of the needles may be operated in conjunction with suitable cam mechanism in one cylinder, as the lower cylinder, for knitting plain knit fabric, while selected needles may be transferred vertically into the grooves of the upper cylinder while retaining the stitches thereon and caused to knit at their opposite ends in conjunction with the non-selected needles remaining in the lower cylinder for the production of rib knitting, and for other purposes hereinafter explained.

In the accompanying drawings,

Fig. 1 is a side view of a sock made in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged diagrammatic view of the top portion of the sock partially broken away to show the inner face of the fabric.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of a portion of a knitting machine in accordance with my invention, certain parts being omitted for the sake of clearness.

Fig. 4 is a top plan view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic plan view of the needle circle and cam blocks showing the positions of the thread feed fingers;

Fig. 6 is an inside view of the cam blocks spread out in a plane, showing the positions of the needles and needle operating sliders and including at the right hand end of the figure a diagrammatic side view of the needles and sliders.

Fig. 7 is a plan view similar to Fig. 5, but showing the thread feeding fingers in positions corresponding to Fig. 9.

Fig. 8 is an interior view of a section of the lower cam block.

Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 6, but showing the cams in position for inserting a draw thread. Fig. 10 is a view similar to Fig. 6, illustrating cams in position for initiating the transfer of needles from the upper to the lower cylinder.

Fig. 11 is a view similar to Fig. 6 showing the cams in position to begin the formation of 'plain knit courses of body thread.

Fig. 12 is a view similar to Fig. 5 with the thread feeding fingers shown in positions corresponding to Fig. 13.

Fig. 13 is a view similar to Fig. 6 illustrating the knitting of elastic thread in plated relation with the draw thread.

Fig. 14 is a view similar to Fig. 5 showing the thread feed fingers in positions corresponding to Fig. 15.

Fig. 15 is a view similar to Fig. 6 illustrating a needle selection in which alternate needles are positioned to receive the elastic thread.

Fig. 16 is a view similar to Fig. 15, but showing every fourth needle raised to receive the elastic thread. i

Fig. 17 is a vertical sectional line through the lower cam block showing mechanism for raising and lowering the regulating or measuring cam controlling the amount of elastic thread drawn from the feed finger. I

Fig. .18'is a fragmentary elevation of the outside of the lower cam block showing a part of the control mechanism for said regulating cam.

Fig. 19 is a vertical section through the lower cam block showing a'radially movable draw down cam at the secondary feed station and control mechanism for said cam.

Fig. 20 is a vertical section through the lower cam block'showing the main clearing cam and cam operating mechanism.

Fig. 21 is a vertical section through the lower cam block showing the main selecting cam and operating mechanism.

Fig. 21a shows an alternative construction in which needle operating butts are provided on the shank of the needle itself instead of on a slider.

Fig. 21b is a similar view in which a knitting butt is provided on the shank of the needle while a selecting butt is provided on an associated jack. Fig. 22 is a diagrammatic view showing mechanism for controlling the main clearing cam.

Fig. 23 is a diagrammatic view showing mechanism controlling the main selecting cam.

Fig. 24 is a plan view showing the elastic thread feed finger and control mechanism therefor.

Fig. 25 is a plan viewshowing the draw thread feed finger.

Fig. 26ds a diagrammatic side elevation show ing the primary control mechanism for the elastic thread feed finger including an interrupter cam.

Fig. 27 is a diagrammatic side elevation of mechanism for imparting rotary movement to the interrupter cam shown in Fig. 26.

Fig. 28 is a diagrammatic view showing alternate needles in the upper cylinder and loops drawn of body thread fed to all of the needles.

Fig. 29 is a diagrammatic view showing loops of draw thread being drawn by the lower needles only.

Fig. 30 is a similar view showing loops of body thread being drawn by all of the needles.

Fig. 31 is a similar view showing the beginning of a second round of draw thread.

Fig. 32 illustrates the transfer of the alternate needles from the upper to the lower cylinder and the feeding of body thread to all of the needles after transfer.

Fig. 33 shows diagrammatically a section of fabric with one round of draw thread.

Fig. 34' shows the fabric after a second round of draw thread has been started.

Fig. 35 shows the fabric at a further stage with elastic thread knitted in plated relation with a portion of the draw thread.

Fig. 36 shows the fabric with two rounds of elastic thread, the elastic having been received by alternate needles.

Fig. 37 illustrates the fabric of Fig. 35 with two additional elastic containing courses in which the elastic is united with the fabric at every fourth wale.

. Fig. 38 is a. diagrammatic view illustrating the operation of the needles and sinkers in measuring the elastic thread.

In Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, there is represented an article of hosiery having a selvage edge S, an elastic incorporated form-fitting and self-supporting top portion T, a rib knit leg portion L and a foot portion F. The selvage comprises an initial course S, of body yarn, which will ordinarily be fabric thread, the loops of which are disposed alternately in front of and behind a round E of elastic thread E. One or more sup plementary selvage courses 8, may be formed in like manner. If the first round of elastic should be broken during use of the article, the supplementary selvage course will prevent unravelling of the fabric. Following the selvage course or courses, there is provided an immediately successive course T in which the elastic thread is caught into the fabric at more widely spaced points, for example, at every fourth wale, as shown. One or more additional elastic containing courses of like or difierentspacing may follow, as for example, course T In a succeeding portion of the fabricfthe elastic thread is incorporated only in spaced courses separated by courses knit of body thread and containing no elastic. In the embodiment shown, elastic is incorporated in every fourth course throughout the balance of the top portion of the article. This is followed by a leg portion which may be of rib knit fabric as'shown, and a foot portion of any desired construction.

In Figs. 3 to 27 of the drawings, there is illus trated a machine for producing the article shown Y in Figs. 1 and 2. With reference particularly to Figs. 3, 4 and 6, the numeral I represents the lower knitting cylinder provided with vertically movable sliders ll located in the grooves thereof, and having selecting butts l2 and knitting butts I3 for engaging suitable cams on the cam ring, indicated at I 4, each of the sliders ll beiment shown, the first, fifth, ninth, etc., sliders have long butts, the third, seventh, eleventh, etc.,

sliders have medium butts and the remaining slidbutts of two lengthsbeing shown in the drawing provided at its upper end with a terminal engaging the upper cam ring 24; The upper set of sliders are each provided at their lower ends with a terminal portion comprising the needle engaging hook 25 and latch engaging extension 26 for engaging the upper ends of the needles when they are transferred to the upper cylinder. The specific construction of these parts and the transfer mechanism by which selected needles are transferred from one cylinder to the other, form no part of my present invention. The needles, indicated at 39, are each provided as shown, with the usual hook 3| and latch 32 (see Figs. 1'7, 19, 20 and 21) at each end. When the needles 'are in the lower cylinder, their lower hooks will engage the hooks [5 of the corresponding sliders II and the extensions l6 will engage the lower latches, so that the needles will be operated by and with the sliders ll. When all the needles are in the lower cylinder, the machine is adings.

It will be understood that the sliders in the lower cylinder will also be provided with knitting butts, which may likewise be of difierent lengths. Ordinarily, consecutive sliders constituting approximately one-half the circular series thereof, will have short butts for operating the needles during reciprocating work in knitting the heel and toe pockets in the usual'manner, while the remaining sliders will have long knitting butts. A greater number of different lengths of knitting butts may be. provided if desired. While the knitting and selecting butts for operating the needleshave been described as being on the sliders, it will be understood that in other types of machines, for example, a single cylinder machine, butts may be provided on the shanks of the needles themselves, as illustrated in Fig. 21a, wherein a needle I30 is shown with selecting butts H2 and knitting butts H3; or on suitable jacks for operating the needles, as illustrated in Fig. 21b, wherein a knitting butt 2 I3 is shown on the shank of the needle 230 and a selecting butt 2l2 is provided on an associated jack 2| I.

The machine shown in the drawings .is provided with a main yarn feeding station where the body yarn is fed and a secondary feeding station for feeding elastic thread and draw thread, At each of the feeding stations there are provided suitable thread guides for feeding the thread to the needles and suitable tension devices for applying tension to the thread. An adjustable tension device for the elastic thread is indicated at 21 in Fig. 3 while a tension device for the body thread is indicated at 28 in Fig. 4. The thread guides are shown in the drawings as being thread feed fingers of usual form and will be referred to generically as feed fingers in the following description and claims.

Suitable mechanism hereinafter described is pro vided for moving the feed fingers into and out of feeding position.

At themain feeding station the needles in the lower cylinder are manipulated by a feed cam 33, and-amain draw down cam 34-. The

draw down cam 3 is movable in a vertical direction to regulate the amount of yarn drawn justed for plain knitting. For the production of rib knitting, certain of the needles will be transferred to the upper cylinder, for example, in making 1x1 rib, every other needle will be transferred to the upper cylinder, while for making 6x3 rib, for example, groups of three consecut-ive needles will be transferred to the upper cylinder in alternation with groups of six consecutive needles, which remain in the lower cylinder.

The selecting butts I2 on the sliders I I are utilized both for selecting the needles which are t receive the elastic thread, and also for transferring certain of the needles to the upper cylinder for producing rib knit fabric. The selecting butts a e of at least three lengths, certain of the sliders being provided with long butts, otherswith medium butts and still others with short butts or no butts at all. In the particular embodby the needles.

A similar draw down cam 35 is provided for. knitting whenthe needle cylinder is reciprocatng in a reverse direction during the formation of the heel and toe' pockets. Following the .draw down cam 34, there may be provided a conditioning cam 36 for raising the below the auxiliary selecting-cam 38. Selection of the needles is thus initiated by the main selecting cam and is completed and maintained by the auxiliary selecting cam 38, and the raceways 39 and 40 for the selected and unselected needles respectively.

The main selecting cam 31 remains in operative position throughout the knitting of the elastic containing fabric, including that portion of the fabric having elastic in spaced courses only, and in the embodiment illustrated the cam remains always in operative position. However, it may have more than one operative position and be movable radially from one operative position to the other. To produce the article shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the main selecting cam has an inner operative position in which it engages both the long and the medium length selecting butts, and an outer operative position in which it engages the long butts only. During the knitting of selvage courses S and S, the selecting cam is in its inner position in which it raises alternate needles to receive the elastic thread. During the knitting of subsequent courses, the selecting cam is in its outer position so that it engages the long selecting butts only, and thereby selects more widely spaced needles, for example, every fourth needle, to receive the elastic..

Mechanism for moving the main selecting cam 31 from one operative position to another is controlled by cams 41a and M1) on a cam drum 4| on the main pattern shaft 42 of the machine, as shown in Figs. 21 and 23. The selecting cam 31 is carried by a radially movable plunger 31a extending outthrough the cam ring and having a transverse pin 31b which is acted upon by a spring 310 tending to move cam 31 to its outer position. Means for moving the cam to its inner position against the action of spring 310 comprises a cam follower 43 (Fig. 23) pivoted to a suitable support at 43a, and having a cam engaging portion 43b, which bears on cams Ma and Mb. The cam follower 43 is connected, for example, by a link 44, a transverse shaft 45, with cranks 45a and 45b, and a link 46, with a bell crank lever 41, pivoted at 41a to a suitable support on the frame of the machine. The freev end 411) of the bell crank lever bears against the outer end of the plunger 31a, carrying selecting cam 31. Whenthe cam engaging portion 43b of the cam follower 43 rides up on the high cam portion 4la of the cam drum 4|, the free end of hell crank lever 41 is moved inwardly (to the right in Fig. 23) pushing the cam 31 to its inner position. When the cam engaging portion of the cam follower rides off the high cam portion of cam 4la on to the low cam portion 4"), cam 31 is moved to its outer position by the spring 310. of the movement of the selecting cam will be explained in connection with the operation of the machine.

There is also provided between themain feeding station-and the secondary feeding station a main riser or clearing cam 50, adapted to engage the knitting butts of all of the sliders to raise the needles to clearing position, i. e., a position in which the previously drawn stitch is placed below the latch of the needle so that it will be cast off when the needle is again drawn down. The main clearing cam is movable into and out of operative position, and the location of the clearing cam is such that when in operative position, the cam acts on the knitting butts The timing.

to raise all of the sliders so that their selecting butts do not engage the main selecting cam 31. In the embodiment illustrated, the main clearing cam is disposed vertically above the selecting cam, but it could, .if desired, be located in advance of the latter'ca'm. In either event, the clearing cam, when in operative position, diverts all of the selecting butts from the selecting cam so that the latter cam is ineffective to produce a needle separation. When the clearing cam is moved to inoperative position, selected needles only will be raised so that the knitting butts will ride up auxiliary selecting cam 38 and through race-way 39, while the knitting butts associated with unselected needles will pass through the lower race-way 40. Thus, a needle separation is initiated by the withdrawal of clearing cam 50 fromtis operative position. It will be noted that the selecting earns 31 and 38 do not raise the needles to as high a position as theyare raised by clearing cam 50, it being-desired that the selected needles be raised only high enough to receive the elastic thread, but not sufficiently high to place previously drawn loops of body thread below the latches. The clearing cam 50 is movable radially into and out of operative position by mechanism controlled by a cam 5| a on a drum 5| on the main pattern shaft 42, as illustrated in Figs. 20 and 22. The cam 50 is provided with a rearwardly extending projection 5M,- which is pivotally connected to a short arm 5%, pivoted at its lower end 500 move clearing cam 50 inwardly to its operative position. When the cam follower 53 rides up on cam 5Ia .of cam drum 5|, the upper end of lever 50b is pulled outwardly against the action of .spring 54 to withdraw the clearing cam 50 to inoperative position.

It will be'noted that movement of clearing cam 50 to inoperative position is effected by cam 5la, whilemovement into operative position is effected by means of spring 54. This mode of operation is of importance in that as will be explained below, the clearing cam 50 is released for movement into operative position at a time when the short knitting butts are in front of I the cam. The clearing cam will thereupon be 55 and 56 to draw new stitches.

moved by spring 54 into engagement with the ends of the short knitting butts, and the first of the long knitting butts will ride up the face of the clearing cam, whereupon the cam will be moved into its innermost position to act on both the long and the short knitting butts.

At the secondary feeding station there are provided a draw down cam 55, and a measuring cam 56. The draw down cam 55 is movable radially into and out of operative position, while the measuring cam 56 is movable between an upper or inoperative position, illustrated in Fig. 6, and a lower or operative position shown in Fig. 9. When the draw down cam 55, the measuring cam 56, and the main clearing cam 50 are all in operative position, the needles will be raised by the clearing cam to place the previously drawn stitches below the latches and after taking the thread fed at the secondary feeding station, the needles will be drawn down by cams When cams 55 and 56 are in operative position, and the clearing cam 58 is out of operative position, selected needles only will be raised by selecting cams 31 and 38, sumciently high to receive the thread fed at the secondary feeding station, but not high enough to clear the previously drawn stitches and upon reaching draw down cam 55 and measuring cam 56, the selected needles will be drawn down to draw loops of the second thread, together with the retained loops of the thread fed at the main knitting station. The unselected needles are not raised by the selecting cams and hence do not receive the thread fed at the secondary feeding station. The knitting butts associated with the unselected needles pass through the lower race-way 40, and are drawn downslightly bymeasuring cam 56 to again place the unselected and selected needles at the same level.

If desired, the selecting cams can be made to raise the selected needles to clearing position whereby new stitches will be drawn of the thread fed at the secondary feeding station and the previously drawn loops of the thread fed at the main feeding stationwill be cast ofi.

The movement of draw down cam 55 into and out of operative position is controlled by a cam wheel 51 on an auxiliary pattern shaft 58, as 1 shown in Fig. 19. This pattern shaft is driven by suitable mechanism in timed relation with the main pattern drum but as the driving mechanism forms no part of the present invention, it will not be further described. The cam wheel 51 is provided with suitable cam grades 57a, which act on a cam follower 59 to move the cam 55 radially into its operative position. Preferably the cam surface 51a comprises a double cam grade, so that the draw down cam 55 is first moved in sufficiently far to engage the long knitting butts and after a pause is moved the remaining distance. A spring a tends to move cam 55 toward inoperative position and maintains the cam follower 59 in engagement with cam wheel 51.

The vertical movement of measuring cam 56 is likewise controlled from the auxiliary pattern shaft 58 by the mechanism shown in Figs. 17 and 18. One end 60a of a rocking arm 60, pivoted to the cam ring at 60b, acts on a pin 56a. projecting rearwardly from the, cam 56, while the other end 660 of the rocking arm is engaged by a lever 6| which is pivoted to a suitable support at 61a, and has a cam follower portion 6|b which engages the cam surface 62 provided on a cam wheel 70 carried by the auxiliary pattern shaft 58. A set screw 66d is adjustable to vary the height of the measuring cam in its lower and raised positions. A spring 63 acts on the cam, tending to move it to its upper position and maintain the cam follower 6lb in engagement with the cam surface 62, on cam wheel 10.

Beyond draw down cam 55 and measuring cam 56, there is provided a secondary clearing cam 64 for raising all of the needles preparatory to receiving the yarn fed at themainfeeding station. The lower cam block has a transfer cam 65 for transferring certain needles to the upper cylinder, as is usual in the coaxial type of machine.

The upper cam block is provided with the usual stitch cam, clearing cam and transfer earn, as illustrated in the drawings. While, for the sake of brevity and clarity, reference is made in the description and claims to upper and l wercylinders, it will be understood that the bylinders and the needle manipulation and thread feeding mechanism therefor, may be interchanged.

Moreover, instead of employing stationary needle I manipulating cams as shown, revolving cam wheels or other devices for lowering or raising the needles may-be used.

Referring now to the means for feeding thread to the needles, the main feeding station may have any desired number of yarn feeding fingers, one of which is shown at 66 in Fig. 4. Suitable mechanism (not shown) may be provided for moving the feed fingers of the main feeding station into and out of operative position to feed one. or more body yarns, as desired. At the secondary feeding station, there are provided feed fingers for the draw thread and the elastic thread. The draw thread feed finger 61 is movable to a feeding position shown in dotted lines inFig. 25, and to an inoperative position shown in solid lines in the same figure. To provide for movement into and out of feeding position, the draw thread feed finger 61 is carried on ahollow vertical shaft 68, having a radial projection (not shown) which is connected with a cam follower 69, which engages the periphery of a cam wheel 10, provided on the auxiliary pattern shaft 58. When the cam follower 69 rides up on the high portion 100. of the cam wheel 70, the vertical shaft 68 is rotated counterclockwise, as viewed in Fig. 25 and the feed finger 61 is swung into feeding position. The elastic thread feed finger H is movable to three positions, as illustrated in Fig. 24, namely, operative position indicated in dotted lines for feeding elastic thread to selected needles, an inoperative position shown in solid lines for causing the elastic thread to be cut and bound by suitable mechanism (not shown) and an intermediate position shown in dot and dash lines for holding the elastic thread so that it will not be received by the needles but is not cut and bound. To provide for the properly timed movement of feed finger ll to its various positions, the finger is manipulated by a dually controlled mechanism, shown in Figs. 24, 26 and 27. The main control shown in Figs. 26 and 27 provides for properly timed movement of feed finger H into and out of operative position. The secondary control mechanism shown in Fig. 24 regulates the extent of movement of the feed finger when moved out of operative position to determine whether the feed finger. moves to the holding position shown in dot and dash lines or to the cutting and binding position shown in full lines in Fig. 24.

Referring first to Fig. 26, it will be seen that the elastic thread feed finger H is carried at the upper end of a shaft 12, extending throughhollow shaft 68- and provided near its lower end with radially projecting pin 12a, which extends into the slot 130. provided at one end of a link 13.

- The other end of link I3 is connected to one arm Ha of a bell crank lever 14, the other arm 14b of which is connected by a link 15 to one end of a cam follower 16. The cam follower i6 is pivoted to a suitable support at 16a and has pivoted to 'a suitable support at 16a and has a projecting To effect movement of feed finger H into and; 

